Ford Mustang celebrates its 50th anniversary

By Rene A. Guzman :
April 15, 2014

The Ford Mustang celebrates its 50th anniversary Thursday, a milestone for a pony car that continues to charge across roads and across pop culture. Click ahead to see the Ford Mustang over the years.

During 1963, Ford prepared a second concept based on one of the production prototype body-shells that would eventually be called Mustang II. The proportions of the pony logo as used on the Mustang I were deemed too tall to fit nicely in the production-style grille corral. Design studio modelers Charles Keresztes and Waino Kangas were tasked with creating a new versions of the pony for the grille and fender of the Mustang II concept and the 1965 production car. Here Keresztes works on a further revision of the badge for the production 1974 Mustang II.

On April 17, 1964, the production Ford Mustang debuted at the New York Worldâ€™s Fair on its way to more than 400,000 sales in the first year and 1 million in the first 20 months.

Mustang was unveiled with great fanfare at the 1964 World's Fair, but here we see a sort of soft introduction for the far-flung public. The car is sold based on the quality of the Ford brand rather than its own merits. Other than a bit of rhyming and alliteration and the brand slogan, "Ford-built means better built," there isn't a tagline for the pony car just yet, although "it puts the tang in Mustang" does have an entertaining ring to it.

The 1965 Ford Mustang hardtop on display in the Ford Pavilion at the New York Worldâ€™s Fair during its debut on April 17, 1964.

Once again restored to robust health and with the hazards of Operation Mustang safely concluded, the 1966 convertible recuperates while perched on a corner of the 86th floor parapet. The car was later moved inside the building to the observation deck where it will be on public display to be viewed by thousands of visitors to the famed landmark until next spring. It is the first car ever to be put on the observation deck and the biggest and heaviest object ever on display there.

Once again restored to robust health and with the hazards of Operation Mustang safely concluded, the 1966 convertible recuperates while perched on a corner of the 86th floor parapet. The car was later moved inside the building to the observation deck where it will be on public display to be viewed by thousands of visitors to the famed landmark until next spring. It is the first car ever to be put on the observation deck and the biggest and heaviest object ever on display there.

Photo By COURTESY THE SNYDER FAMILY/New York Times

In an undated family photo, Marc Snyder and his son Erich with the Ford Mustang Marc got in 1964 for his 16th birthday. Snyder is one of a select group of owners still holding on to Mustangs from the first production run in 1964. (Courtesy the Snyder Family via The New York Times) -- PHOTO MOVED IN ADVANCE AND NOT FOR USE - ONLINE OR IN PRINT - BEFORE APRIL 6, 2014. -- NO SALES; FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY WITH STORY SLUGGED AUTOS-MUSTANG-50 BY STENQUIST. ALL OTHER USE PROHIBITED.

Gail Wise's 1965 Ford Mustang Convertible in summer 1964.

The Wise family and their 1965 Ford Mustang Convertible in the 1970s

Three different generations of Ford Mustang convertibles from 1965, 1994 and 1999.

The body of the Ford Mustang pool table is molded from an actual 1965 Mustang body shell and uses genuine trim and lights.

The recently revealed all-new 2015 Ford Mustang returns to the New York City World's Fair site where the iconic pony car debuted nearly 50 years ago. With a new sophisticated design clearly inspired by 50 years of Mustang heritage, the next chapter of the Ford Mustang is loaded with innovative technologies and delivers world-class levels of performance. The Ford Mustang will celebrate its 50th anniversary on April 17, 2014 and the new edition will be sold globally for the first time. Photo by: Sam VarnHagen/Ford Motor Co.

The recently revealed all-new 2015 Ford Mustang returns to the New York City World's Fair site where the iconic pony car debuted nearly 50 years ago. With a new sophisticated design clearly inspired by 50 years of Mustang heritage, the next chapter of the Ford Mustang is loaded with innovative technologies and delivers world-class levels of performance. The Ford Mustang will celebrate its 50th anniversary on April 17, 2014 and the new edition will be sold globally for the first time. Photo by: Sam VarnHagen/Ford Motor Co.

Photo By Ford Motor Company

The Mustang was unveiled with great fanfare at the 1964 World’s Fair, but here we see a sort of soft introduction for the far-flung public. The car is sold based on the quality of the Ford brand rather than its own merits. Other than a bit of rhyming and alliteration and the brand slogan, "Ford-built means better built," there isn’t a tagline for the pony car just yet, although "it puts the tang in Mustang" does have an entertaining ring to it.

Photo By Ford Motor Company

Photo By Ford Motor Company

Photo By Ford Motor Company

Photo By Ford Motor Company

Photo By Ford Motor Company

Photo By Ford Motor Company

A ram air “Shaker” hood scoop is offered on any Mustang equipped with a 351-cid or larger V-8.

Photo By Ford Motor Company

The biggest Mustangs ever – nearly a foot longer and some 600 pounds heavier than the originals – are introduced. The Boss 351, with its “Cleveland” block and Cobra Jet heads, debuts. The Mach 1 comes with a variety of powertrains, topped by the 429 Super Cobra Jet (SCJ).

Photo By Ford Motor Company

Styling is unchanged from 1971, and the only new model offering is the Sprint – a special red, white and blue exterior paint-and-tape package with coordinated interior.

Photo By Ford Motor Company

The 1973 model year is the last for the original Falcon-platform Mustang, and it’s also the last time a convertible version is offered for almost a full decade

Photo By Ford Motor Company

In the fall of 1973, the all-new Mustang II went on sale in hardtop and hatchback bodystyles. Initially available only with four-cylinder and V6 engines, Mustang II arrived just in time for the first big spike in gasoline prices, and helped to reverse years of declining sales, hitting nearly 300,000 units in its first model year.

Photo By Ford Motor Company

V-8 power returns to Mustang in the form of the 302 cubic-inch small-block.

Photo By Ford Motor Company

Photo By Ford Motor Company

Photo By Ford Motor Company

Photo By Ford Motor Company

Photo By Ford Motor Company

The 302-cid V-8 engine is dropped and replaced by an economy-minded 119-horsepower, 255-cid derivative of the “Windsor” small-block V-8.

Photo By Ford Motor Company

The turbo four-cylinder is dropped from the Mustang engine lineup, and new emissions controls reduce the 255-cid V-8’s output to 115 horsepower

Photo By Ford Motor Company

Photo By Ford Motor Company

After 10 years, Mustang again has a convertible model, complete with power top and a tempered glass back window.

More than half of the 211,225 Mustangs sold for 1988 were powered by the 5.0-liter V-8.

Photo By Ford Motor Company

For Mustang’s 25th anniversary, all cars produced between April 17, 1989, and April 17, 1990, sport the familiar running horse on the dashboard with “25 Years” inscribed underneath.

Photo By Ford Motor Company

Ford designers evaluated a number of themes for a replacement for the long-running third-generation Mustang. The notchback and hatchback bodystyles would be replaced with a single fastback coupe format. After departing from many of the original design cues on the third-generation models, the upcoming fourth-generation would return elements like the galloping pony in the grille, the side scoops and the tri-bar taillamps. This softer concept, known as “Bruce Jenner” wasn’t considered aggressive enough to be a Mustang.

The stealthy Mustang LX 5.0 develops a cult following and outsells all other models combined.

Photo By Ford Motor Company

In the last year for the “Fox Body,” Ford’s new Special Vehicle Team (SVT) introduces the limited-production Mustang Cobra with subtle but distinctive styling cues and performance upgrades. A racing “Cobra R” model – with just 107 units built – sells out prior to production.

Photo By Ford Motor Company

For its 30th anniversary, Mustang is dramatically restyled to evoke the car’s heritage and performance tradition. Fully 1,330 of the vehicle’s 1,850 parts are changed.

Photo By Ford Motor Company

The venerable 5.0-liter V-8 spends its final model year in the Mustang. SVT produces 250 Cobra R models powered by a 300-horsepower, 351 cid V-8.

Photo By Ford Motor Company

For the first time, Mustang GTs and SVT Mustang Cobras are equipped with Ford’s new 4.6-liter “modular” V-8 engine, which uses overhead cams to open the intake and exhaust valves.

Mustang gets new, more muscular styling with features such as a power-dome hood and sequential turn signals.

Photo By Ford/Wieck

An optional SVT Performance Package highlights the new 2011 Ford Shelby GT500; available on both coupe and convertible models; making it racetrack ready. (02/08/2010)

Photo By Courtesy of Ford

The limited-production 2012 Mustang Boss 302, set to become the quickest, best-handling straight-production Mustang ever offered by Ford, was previewed to the media this week in a drive event along the California coast and at Laguna Seca Raceway.

Photo By Ford/Courtesy of Ford Motor Co.

Ford Mustang — an icon of American performance and style — returns for 2013 with a new design and a list of smart features that signal even more technology in the popular pony car. (11/15/2011)

Photo By Ford Motor Company

Photo By Ford Motor Company

Ford is building a limited-edition Mustang GT to honor the pony car's 50th anniversary.
The company will only build 1,964 special cars, honoring the year the Mustang first went on sale.
The 50 Year Limited Edition will come in one of the two colors of Ford's logo: white or blue. Buyers can choose a manual or automatic transmission.
There are special chrome highlights around the grille, windows and tail lights. The Limited Edition will also be the only 2015 Mustang with a faux gas cap badge on the rear, where the original cap sat.

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SAN ANTONIO -- The Ford Mustang celebrates its 50th anniversary Thursday, a milestone for a pony car that continues to charge across roads and across pop culture.

And talk about celebrating in high style. Ford will show off a 2015 Mustang convertible on the 86th floor observation deck of the Empire State Building. Meanwhile much closer to home (and to the street) Northside Ford will wish the car a happy 50th birthday Thursday evening with the San Antonio Mustang Club, one of several local groups who relish the ride of the iconic vehicle.

Check out the slideshow above to see how the Mustang continues to roll with the times. And read the full story on the Mustang's big 5-0 and its area fans at ExpressNews.com.